Differential convertible gasolinediesel engine



June 24, 1947. L N. MILLER 2,423,039

DIFFERENTIAL CONVERTIBLE GASOLINE-DIESEL ENGINE Original Filed March 51. 1938 2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 a INVENTOR Huf/rz '/Y. au-K.

June 24, 1947.

,| N. MILLER DIFFERENTIAL CONVERTIBLE GASOLINE-DIESEL ENGINE Original Filed March 3l, 1958 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. l Hak/rz /Y. luf/e.

AT1-0R .5.

atented June 24, 1947 DIFFERENTIAL CONVERTIBLE GASOLINE- DIESEL ENGINE Lauritz N. Miller, Eugene, Orez.

Original application March 31, 1938, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 21, 1942, Serial No. 435,730

2 Claims. (Cl. 12S-w32) This invention relates to internalcombustion engines and of multi-cylinder character, if desii-ed, and wherein the advantages of a gasoline engine and a Diesel engine are included without the inherent disadvantages incident to the operation of either. These two types of engines have certain recognized advantages well known in the industry. They likewise have certain recognlzed disadvantages.

an object of this invention is to produce an eneine which will include a maximum number of advantages oi' both engines and a. minimum number of the disadvantages thereof.

Another object of the invention is to arrange certain parts ol the engine so that the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber when operating as a Diesel engine is completely burned, thereby insuring cleanliness of the fuel nozzle.

One feature ci. the invention for the accomplishment oi' the foregoing object, consists in arranging the mechanism incident to the engine operation so that all or a part of the fuel supplied when operating as a Diesel is bypassed.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the lollowing description and claims:

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a combination gasoline-Diesel engine embodying the invention.

Fis. 2 is a transverse sectional views! the intaire. exhaust and fuel passages, and is taken approtely in the plane of the line 2--2 of Fis. l and in. the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view talren in a central plane to illustrate the injector scavenging and cleaning mechanism and is of the forni of the invention shown in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. l is a diagrammatic plan view of the combastion chamber and corresponds to a section parallel tc that shown in Fig. 2 but cler'to the cylinder bore.

Fig.. 5 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. t but is enlarged and isoi a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken approximtaely in the plane of B--G of Fig. 5 and in the direction of the arrows but illustrates a. modined form oi combustion chamber.

Fig. l is a view similar to Fig. 6 and of a. still further modified form of combustion chamber. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 6 and 7 and of a still further modified form of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 and of a modined form of the invention.

Fig. l0 is a view similar to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 and of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9 and is taken approximately in the line N-IU of 9 and in the direction of the arrows.

In Fig. l of the drawings I|0 indicates a conventional cylinder structure of an engine embodying the invention. Mounted therein for reciprocation is a piston structure of any desired character connected by a wrist pin Il! to a connecting rod ||3 connected to a crankshaft or the like of the enginesee Fig. 1 ot Patent No. 2,277,130 dated March 24, 1942.

Reference is had more particularly to said patent for a general disclosure ci the engine including the present invention.

Herein the engine includes the cylinder head |25 in turn supporting a suitable cap structure |26. To the head structure may be suitably secured an exhaust manifold |28. |21 indicates a water manifold for cooling fluid. Water cooling passage |30 in the head encircles exhaust' passage |3| from the cylinder and head. The cylinder block |||i is provided with heed communicating water cooling passage |32. v

Fig. l of said patent illustrates in the upper left hand portion a gasoline fuel supply and the fuel mixture is supplied to intake passage I1 therein which herein in Fig. 1 is indicated by the numeral |41. A valve member |12 has stem l'll suitably actuated as described in said patent. A spring |13 normally constrains said valve and stem upwardly into closed valve position. This is to seal off, as it were, auxiliary chamber |15 from direct connection with chamber A as shown, and this is provided for Diesel operation. Spark plug |18 constitutes the gasoline ignition source. The purpose of this auxiliary chamber |15 is multi-fold. One conventional purpose is to inv sure ignition ofy the gaseous mixture when the engine ls operating as a gasoline engine and, therefore, since it connues the ignition initially to the gaseous mixture trapped in this chamber |15, the problem of knocking of the engine is materially reduced. Therefore, this engine can operate on a very low grade so-called gasoline.

When the engine is operating as a Diesel en' gine, the cam shaft IBS-see Fig. l-having the cani |84 thereon, is adapted to engage plunger |85 of an injector structure |86 connected to nozzle structure |88 by means, not shown, in Fis. l. Plunger |85 is cam actuated in opposition to spring constraint to supply Diesel fuel under pressure to the nozzle structure which discharges to chamber A at IBBa. l

The exhaust valve-see Fig. 1--is indicated by stem |1| of piston character.

to closed position. Arm |9| -is actuated by rod |94 through the adjustable connection |95 and said rod is actuated in proper timed relation by means associated with cam shaft |83 and not shown herein. l

The zero volume chamber, designated A and B, includes the auxiliary or preliminary ignition chamber before mentioned. By zero volume it is intended to include that volume at the head of cylinder and in the head when the piston has advanced its maximum distance toward the head of the cylinder and when the intake and exhaust valves are both closed. Intake valve |12 has Note that the spark plug lires the gasoline fuel mixture within the ignition chamber |15.

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted the air is supplied to the intake passage |41 and the port |41a is arranged for suitable intake valve control, the said intake valve being positioned in longitudinal alignment with the exhaust valve.

Attention is specifically directed to the chamber portion designated A in the middle of Fig. 1 as well as the chamber portion designated B therein and immediately to the right thereof. This chamber arrangement is similarly designated in Fig. 2 and further reference will be had thereto. It is to be understood that air or the fuel mixture when operating as a gas engine is At the proper interval through cam |84 the injector |86 is operated to supply fuel to the nozzle |88 and this nozzle through the tip |8811 discharges the fuel into the chamber A, where it mixes with the highly compressed air and ignites due to the high compression. The fuel, of course, is supplied under the desired pressure as is well understood in Diesel practice. Upon ignition taking place, the air and fuel burn forming expanding gases which force the power piston downwardly, this being the power stroke. As the piston moves' downwardly, the pressure is released. At the proper time, of course, the fuel discharge is discontinued. However, as the piston travels further and further on its power stroke, the highly compressed air in the auxiliary chamber |15 is discharged through the restricted lsupplied by the passage |41 to the cylinder and is operating as a.y gasoline engine, the valve |12 remains in the lowered or .open position. Thus the initial combustion'of the 'combustible mixture occurs in this auxiliary. chamber |15 and gradually feeds out around'the valve and spreads into chamber A and B and as the gases expand, the power piston is moved and combustion becomes complete. This eliminates to a considarable degree vthee detonating effect obtained when utilizing relatively low octane gasoline type fuels. vWillian the-device operates on a Diesel principle .tliejzyalv'e. |12 closed during the entire lperiodoroperatiom Q Reference'will' now be had to Fig. 3 and this "ligure illustrates substantially that which is illustxated yin Fig. 1 and, therefore, like numerals and letters employed in Figure 1 are herein empassage |00 into chamber A and swirls about the discharge tip |88a and insures complete burning of the last drop of oil on that tip, thereby insuring the maintenance of a clean fuel nozzle at all times when the engine is operating on the Diesel principle.

'I'he arrows in Fig. 3 do not show this last supplementary air discharge in the chamber A although the arrows in the chamber |18 do show plane of the auxiliary chamber control valve andy seat shown in Fig. 3. It is also shown in Fig. 2.

As shown in these several figures and more especially Fig.. 4, numeral ||0 indicates the cylinder chamber. A indicates a recess of the depressed type in the cylinder block and having an aperture in which is mounted the nozzle |88-see ployed. This figure illustrates the addition of a relief vport |00 providing restricted communication between the auxiliary chamber |15 and the chamber portion A. When .the device is operating on the Diesel principle.- the air, supplied on the intake stroke through passage |41, the valve |89 being then open, thereafter is compressed, the valve |89 being then closed and the piston returning on the compression stroke, is forced into the chamber portions B and A and through the restricted passage |00 into the chamber |18. Diesel operation is effected, piston |||see Fig. i-is close to the valve |89 when the latter is seated and, therefore, the air supplied to the cylinder is under a relatively high compression' and a portion thereof is stored in the chamber |15.

Fig. 3and into which chamber A projects the tip |88a of the nozzle. The rear wall into which extends the nozzle is partially cylindrical and this is indicated by A| in Fig. 4. The sides thereof merge into the straight side walls A2. 'I'he floor of the chamber A is indicated by A3. The chamber A communicates with the cylinder chamber 0 by means of the passages B formed in the head.

In the present form of the invention these passages form an island C andthe wall of the'chamber A formed by this island C is indicated by CI inFig. 4 and is of partial circular form for As shown clearly in these figures, it will be noted that the air and fuel discharged upwardly and to the right in chamber A by reason of fuel injection, impinge on the curved wall CI and the same is deflected to the right and left. respec-l tively, prior to escaping laterally and to the right through the passages B. That which escapes throughthe passages B, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, is deflected downwardly onto the adjacent power piston and across the cylinder into the remote corner thereof. l

It will be noted also between the head |25 and the block of the engine and beneath the island, there is no gasket, leaving a space C2. This provides a relatively thin but wide, restricted passage from chamber A to the cylinder and between the main passages-B. 'Ihis insures discharge directly across the top of the cylinder and that insures distribution of the combustible mixture toward the upper right. hand portion'of the cylinder. as shown by the topmost arrow in that cylinder in Fig. 3. This eliminates the possibility of a dead spot in the top of the cylinder.

Reference will now be had to Fig. which is another diagrammatic representation of the chamber arrangement previously described. In Figs. 5 and 6 the same letters employed in Fig. 4 are employed but are increased by ten. Thus, the cylinder is indicated by I 0D corresponding to the cylinder D in Fig. 4. The rear of the energy chamber wall is indicated by IUAI. The two side walls are herein indicated by IUA2 and these as shown, are of diverging character instead of being parallel, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The curved deecting wall of the island IUC is indicated by IIICI. The channels are indicated by IIlB. The chamber bottom is indicated by IIIAS.

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be noted the island IIIC provides the gasketless passage IOC2 between the head and the block. For convenience the representation of the intake and exhaust valves is omitted. If desired, the curved edge IIJCI may be chamfered as at WC3. In this form of the invention the top Wall IOB2 of the passage IIlB is curved downwardly Atoward the cylinder chamber II'ID, as shown in Fig. 6. This curvature of relatively great radius.

In Fig. 7 letters and numbers similar to those employed in Fig. 6 but increased by ten indicate in the passages 40B obstructions having the curved or forward division portions IUEI sindv which divide the fuel through 40B previous to' its discharge into the cylinder. Itis observed, however, vthe space C2 is continuous from one side wall M1A2 to the opposite wall M1A2 so that the directional discharge to prevent dead spots at the head of the cylinder is provided. While the discharge ends of the passage DB2 are shown ofthe character illustrated at 20B2 in Fig. 7,

these may be modified as shown at IOB2 in Fig. 6

"or 30B! in Fig. 8, or in any other suitable manner as desired.

It is obviousfrom the foregoing that all of these forms of zero volume chambers do insure the production of turbulence in Diesel or gasoline operation and so highly desirable in an internal combustion engine and do insure the elimination of so-called dead spots. The forms of the invention herein disclosed are substantially free from so-called hot spots. For different fuels, one form will have advantages over the other. While the supplementary island arrangement is shown herein associated with the diverging channel disclosure, it is to be understood the supplementary island arrangement may be incorporated in the so-called parallel channel form of the invention without departing from this disclosure.

The nozzle |88, see Fig. 5of Patent No. 2,277,- 130, dated March 24, 1942, preferably is of twopart character, see also Fig. 6 of the copending application Serial No. 435,729, filed March 21, 1942, wherein the nozzle tip I88a is normally constrained to extend inwardly into chamber A as shown in Fig. 1. Upon the compression stroke, air under compression Ais stored in nozzle |88 as set forth in said application and following fuel injection, this compressed, stored air is released and serves to clean and cool the tip I88a.

It is also to be noted that Diesel fuel is bypassed continuously in the injector I8! as long as the engine operates as a gasoline engine and is like or equivalent parts. This form of the invention differs mainly in that the slope of curvature of the top of the passage 20B is of relatively short radius curvature, as indicated at 20H2, whereas that illustrated in Fig. 6 is of relatively large radius curvature, as indicated at IDBI.

In Fig. 8 letters and numbers similar to those heretofore utilized, indicate like or similar parts but the letters again are increased by ten and this form of the invention is similar to those previously described, with this exception, that in place of the deflecting wall portion of passage 30B being of curved formation as indicated at HB2-see Fig. 6--the same is of corrugated'character a indicated at 3032 in Fig. 8.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 9 and 10,

and more especially Fig. 9. Herein the side walls 40A! are of diverging character similar to those as indicated at OA2 in Fig. 5 'and Bs distinguished from the straight or parallel walls A2 of Fig. 4. Herein also the channels 40B are of gradually increasing width instead of being of constant width, as shown at IIIB in Fig. 5 and as shown at B in Fig. 4.

The island 40C, therefore, in the present instance has two side walls that are directed toward ter. The several modifications describedgherein asy well as others which will `readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are con-.

vention, .referencev being had bypassed proportionately lfor Diesel operation fuel control as set forth more particularly in said copending application.

The engine is gasoline started and whenever desired, changed'over to Dieseloperation as den scribed in said patent This applications@ einsam-pir"A application se?. l rial No. 199,210, med" March-'31.'.- 1938.n0w Patent No. 2,277,130, dated nl ma ne said application is made a'peuthereoffm"110. milehffji as is briefly described and: claimed herein. l

While the 'invention has been .illustrated and. -described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing descriptiomthesame vis to'be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in characsidered to be within the broad scope of the in claims. j

The invention claimed is: i

jection means in the chamber, the chamber having a face inclined away from the bore and passage means, and another face angular to the first face, the fuel injection means being in the secand the same are indicated by 40E. ,These form 7 5 ond mentioned face and discharging toward the to the appended .jection means having a longitudinal axis subpassage means and island means. the fuel in- The following references are of record in the ille of this patent: 20

UNITED STATES PATENTS stantially parallel to the rst mentioned face and Number Name Date located in the lower portion of the second men- 2,277,130 Miller Mar. 24, 1932 tioned face of the chamber. A 5 2,113,711 Ricardo Apr. 12, 1938 2. In a Diesel engine as dened by claim 1, a 2,172,526 Treiber Sept. 12, 1939 second chamber having restricted communica- 2,104,150 Bremser Jan. 4, 1938 tion with the iirst chamber at all times and near 2,054,413 Fisher et al Sept. 15. 1936 the upper end o! the second tace, the relative an- 2,190,348 Bach Feb. 13, 1940 'gularity between the axis of the fuel injection 1o 2,019,298 Fischer Oct. 29, 1935 means and the restricted communication being 2,206,322 Huesby July 2, 1940 such that the fuel is not discharged directly to- 1.616,157 Werner Feb. 1, 1927 ward the last mentioned communication but the l 1,787,326 Senders Dec. 30, 1930 latter discharges directly toward the fuel indec- 2,098,031 Essl Nov. 2, 1937 tion means. 15

LAUr-mz N. MILLER. FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date REFERENCES CITED 376,576 England July 14, 1932 England May 5, 1932 

